words Hamish Stuart pictures Peter Spurrier/GB Rowing
“It is now our project and our boat to try “It is not ideal to be injured and be out of away with what I want.
and won gold in Beijing. Being picked is the the boat for five weeks in the middle of your
final seal of approval to go ahead and do it. summer training, so it was a pain, but in some “I remember watching Redgrave win his
ways it was good to be able to step back and fifth gold medal in 2000 and thinking that is
“Normally we are out on the water so there reflect while everyone else was out racing. something phenomenal and it is something
is no pressure, but the press come up and I would like to do, but it is very different
talk about being the lead boat and so on and “I could see the other boats and it fills me wanting to do something and actually being
it brings it home a little bit. with confidence how GB rowed, but to be there.”
honest the next few weeks are the most
“It does mean there is something a bit more important and as long as we are all together James and the British coxless four are looking
special about the event and people will be for that then I will be happy.” to make their own history in Beijing thanks
watching it at home. to the Redgrave/Pinsent secret of success –
Not only did James miss the early part of this do what you do, but better!
“In a selfish way it is our goal, it is for the season but four years ago he missed the start
four guys in the boat to go out and achieve of the Olympics in Athens as the eight failed
it – no-one else. to make the final, before returning to win the
B final and secure ninth place.
“I have not spoken to Steve about that final
that much, we are too busy training and He had been the stroke the previous year
getting on with the job in hand.” when they had won bronze in the world
championships to establish themselves as
The build up for the four has been far from medal contenders, so the result was a huge
smooth with injuries meaning that the first disappointment all round.
choice rowers have rarely competed together,
with James missing the first and second world “There is nothing you can do about getting ill,
cups of the season. but the best thing it taught me that I do not
want to go to another Olympics and come
“It has been a disrupted season, but I am away with nothing,” he said.
confident we can be at our best in Beijing,”
said James. “It makes me really sit up and pay attention
to what I am doing and making sure I come
lympians - Tom James
o
Welsh
Tom James at the back of the eight with
fellow Welsh rower Tom Lucy two places in
SW
front of him, before James moved up to the
Blue Riband coxless four boat for Beijing
19
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SW_Issue3.indd 19 30/7/08 11:11:24
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